The Supreme Court of India has declared its intention to rigorously oversee the implementation of reforms aimed at curbing paper leaks in the NEET examination. The top court underscored that a history of "ad hocism" has plagued the system for years, making institutionalization of the examination process paramount to prevent future recurrences.
Court Demands Transparency and Reforms
A bench comprising Justices P S Narasimha and Alok Aradhe, while hearing petitions, including one from the Federation of All India Medical Association (FAIMA), directed Solicitor General Tushar Mehta to outline concrete steps towards transparency. The court specifically requested an update on the recommendations made by the Radhakrishnan Committee and details on how the IIT model for examination conduct would be adopted.
One of the petitions calls for the replacement or restructuring of the National Testing Agency (NTA), which conducts the NEET-UG, with a more robust and autonomous body. The seven-member Radhakrishnan Committee was established by the Ministry of Education following earlier NEET-UG paper leak incidents to suggest reforms in examination procedures, data security protocols, and the NTA's structure and operations.
Government Pledges Comprehensive Overhaul
Solicitor General Mehta assured the court that significant developments were underway and that the government would submit a comprehensive report detailing an overhaul of the examination process, potentially extending beyond the Radhakrishnan Committee's recommendations. "Students' futures can't be jeopardised. We are going beyond the Radhakrishnan Committee. I assure you that the government is walking 10 extra miles. I can assure you everything is being supervised at the highest level," Mehta stated.
The bench, however, noted that measures like deploying the Indian Air Force for question paper transport during the NEET-UG retest were merely ad hoc solutions. Justice Narasimha reiterated, "Ad hocism has troubled us for years," stressing the court's commitment to ensuring the "institutionalisation of the examination process takes place to avoid a repeat of paper leaks." The court also sought clarification on earlier government claims regarding IIT involvement, which had not been adequately explained.
Blueprint for Computer-Based Test Sought
Advocate Tanvi Dubey, representing FAIMA, requested a detailed blueprint of the Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for the computer-based test (CBT) model, which the NTA plans to implement for NEET-UG from the next year. She urged that demo test papers be provided to students well in advance, considering approximately 22 lakh students would take the examination in CBT mode. The court, posting the matter for August 3, affirmed its commitment to closely monitor the developments throughout the year, stating, "We will see that complete and total institutionalisation takes place."
Previously, on May 29, the Supreme Court had underscored that the core problem of NEET-UG would persist until "actual accountability arises." The retest for NEET-UG, initially cancelled due to paper leak allegations, was held on June 21, with investigations currently being conducted by the CBI.